Book-holder or reading-desk.



No. 825,072. PATENTED JULY 3, 1906.

E. POW-ER & E. J. GOSLING. BOOK HOLDER OR READING DESK.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 22, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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No. 825,072. PATENTE-D JULY 3, 1906. E. POWER 6: B. J. GOSLING.

BOOK HOLDER OR READING DESK.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 22, 1905.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrron.

BOOK-HOLDER OR READING-DESK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 3, 1906.

Application filed November 22, 1905. Serial'No. 288.516.

which the covers ofthe book (and it may be those leaves not required-to be erused) are supported and held with the boo in an open position resting upon the frame of the a pliance, While the leaves of the book not so held will be retained in their open position by bent springs which may be moved aside to permit the leaves being turned over. Such.

book-holders or reading-desks have been constructed to be held by the hand of the reader or supported upon a table at a suitable angle by means of suitable supports.

Now the present invention relates to an improved construction and combinations of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed, whereby mechanical means are provided for firmly clamping and locking the covers of the book With the latter in an open position upon the book-holder and also means are provided for the better mechanical a plication and removal of resser-feet by W 'ch those leaves being perused are temporarily held in position. To this end fingers behind which the covers of the book are passed and by which they are clamped in an open position are carried by a pivoted bar which can be acted upon by a clamping-lever t0 firmly hold the fingers onto the cover of the book, and resser-feet are provided mounted on separate rock-shafts which can be operated by a trigger-lever to simultaneously raise the two resser-feet from the leaves, the latter being returned by spring action upon the release of the trigger-lever, while either of the resserfeet can be raised independently by and, if so desired.

An example of construction of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, whereon Figure 1 is a side view of the appliance; Fig.2, a front view with the handle portion broken away, and Fig. 3 a sectional end view.

We provide a frame suitable for supporting the covers of the book in an open position,

such a frame consisting of a bifurcated structure, the two legs 1 2 of which pass at the back of each cover of the book, while the said two legs are connected at their base by a bar 3, this bar having a socket 4, to which a handle 5 is fixed, although it will be understood that the actual shape of the frame illustrated may be varied to suit the articular requirements. For holding limp flocks or papers an enlarged frame would be. substituted for or attached to the bifurcated frame.

Extending parallel with and above the bifurcated legs 1 2 are two fingers 6 7, which are fixed to or formed with a bar 8, extending transversely across the base of the frame, and the bar 8 is pivoted by lugs 9 to similar lugs extending from the base-bar 3 of the frame, so that the fingers are capable of movements to and from the legs 1 2 of the frame. The covers of the book are placed with the book in an open position between the legs 1 2 and the fingers 6 7, one cover beneath each finger, and the lower edges of the covers are supported upon the aforesaid bar 8. (See Fig. 1.)

Extending from the bar 8 is an upstanding arm 10, (see also Fig. 3,) and pivoted to the frame-bar 3 immediately behind the arm 10 is a clamping-lever 11, so mounted that when the fingers 6 7 are over the covers of the book the clamping-lever 11 can be turned about its pivot and brought behind the arm 10, which arm 10 at its rear part has an inclined surface, so that as the lever 11 is forced to a vertical position it forces the said arm 10 in a forward direction and causes the fingers 6 7 attached thereto to be clam ed upon and to hold the covers of the boo k firmly to the frame.

The mechanically-acting leaf-holder employed for holding the opposite leaves of the open book down in their place is composed of two Presser-feet 12 13, each carried upon a shaft 14, the shafts being respectively mounted in brackets 15, standing up from the base-bar 3 of the frame. One resser-foot is mounted uponthe end of each shaft, while at the inner end of each of the said shafts is.

fixed a roller-carrying .crank 16.- Pivoted I to a rearward extension centrally from the bar 3 is a two-armed lever, the downwardlyextending arm 17 of which, Fig. 1, forms a trig er, while the forwardly-extending end of t e lever consists of afork part 18, Fig.

.3, so placed that one of the members of the res fork becomes located beneath each rollercarrying crank 16. By drawing the trigger 17 toward the handle 5 the fork-arms 18 simultaneously act upon the two cranks 16, and the two shafts 14 are thus rocked against the action of helical springs 19, Fig. 3, mounted thereon, this action raising the two presser-feet 12 13 at the same time. When the trigger 17 is released, the presserfeet 12 13 return to position by the action of the springs 19.

We provide a sup orting-frame 20, Fig. 1, ivoted to the bac of the book-carrying rame 1 2, and when this is opened out about its pivot into the position shown in Fig. 1 the stand can be placed upon a table, resting u on the supporting-frame 20 and the end of the handle, and the book is then held in a conveniently inclined position. The legs 20 of the supporting-frame are preferably connected by a curved base-frame 21, which will enable the apparatus to be supported upon the knee or arm of the user, and spurs 22 may extend rearward from the base-bar 3 for engaging the edge of a table when desired. With such appliance the covers of the book are first inserted beneath the clamping-fingers 6 7, which latter are then mechanically clamped and looked upon the covers by means of the clamping-lever 11, and then by bringing the trigger 17 toward the handle 5 both the Presser-feet 12 13 are raised, and when the leaves of the book have been placed as required the trigger 17 is released and both presser-feet descend, one pressing upon each open side of the book, and so holding the leaves open in a position for reading. When it is required to turn over a leaf, the trigger is pulled and both presser-feet lifted, the leaf of the book is then turned over without obstruction, and the said leaves are again held upon the release of the trigger.

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a book-holder; the combination with a frame for the opened book-covers to lie upon; of a bar extending parallel with the base of said frame and pivots connecting the said bar to said frame, so that said bar can rockabout its axis, fingers proceeding from the said bar and extending over said frame, between which fingers and frame the covers of the opened book are placed, an arm having an inclined surface and projecting from the pivoted bar, a clamping-lever, a pivot connecting one end of the clamping-lever to said frame, and a handle at the other end of the clamping-lever by which the latter is turned about its pivot to coact with the inclined surface of said arm to force and hold the fingers in pressure contact with the leaves of the book substantially as set forth.

2. In a book-holder for supporting and holding the opened book-covers while the leaves are retained in an open position by removable presser-feet; the combination with a frame for the opened book-covers to lie upon and fingers to retain the covers in position; of bearing-brackets extending from the frame, rock-shafts carried in the brackets, a presser-foot fixed at one end of each rockshaft, springs to rock the shafts and maintain the presser-feet in pressure contact with the opened leaves of the book, a crank fixed at the end of each rock-shaft,a two-armed lever pivoted on the frame of the book-holder, a fork on one arm of said lever, the two members of the fork respectively contacting with the cranks of said rock-shafts to operate same when the other arm of the lever is pressed by the operator to raise thepresserfeet from the book-leaves substantially as set forth.

3. In a book-holder for supporting and holding the opened book-covers while the leaves are retained in an open position by removable presser-feet; the combination with a frame for the open book-covers to lie u on,- a bar extending parallel with the base 0 the said frame, and pivots connecting said bar to said frame so that said bar can rock about its axis, fingers proceeding from said bar and extending over said frame between which fingers and frame the covers of the open book are placed, and mechanism for rocking said bar to press and clamp the fingers upon the covers of said book; of bearing-brackets extending from the frame, rock-shafts carried in the brackets, and a presser-foot fixed at one end of each rock-shaft, springs to rock the shafts to maintain the resser-feet in pressure contact with the open leaves of the book, and mechanism for simultaneously rocking the rock-shafts against the action of the springs to raise the presser-feet from the leaves of the book, substantially as set forth.

1. In a book-holder for supporting and holding the opened book-covers while the leaves are retained in an open position by removable presser-feet; the combination with a frame for the open book-covers to lie upon, composed of two legs 1, 2, and a bar3 connecting the lower ends of said legs 1, 2, a socket on the bar, a handle 5 proceeding from the socket by which the book-carrying frame can be held by the operator, a su porting-frame 20, 21, and ivots uniting t e supportingframe to the l o ack of the book-carrying frame in order to support the latter in an inclined position, and spurs 22 projecting from the rear face of the bar 3 to engage the edge of a table when desired; of a bar 8 extendin parallel with the bar 3 of the book-carrying ame and formed with a flat surface to receive the lower edges of the book-cover, lugs on the bar 8 and lu s on the bar 3, a pivot-pin uniting the lugs of t e bar 8 to the lugs of the bar 3, fin"- gers proceeding from said bar and extendin over the legs 1, 2, mechanism for rocking sai bar 8 to ress and clamp said fingers upon the action of the springs to raise the resser-feet covers 0% tlhe book, bearirlilg-fbraoketsdextend substantially as set forth. in from t e bar 3, rock-s a ts carrie in sai brickets, a resser-foot fixed on one end of GOSLING 5 each rock-shaft, springs to rock the shafts and bring the presser-feet in contact With the Witnesses: leaves of the book, and mechanism for simul- ULYssEs O. PAs UA, taneously rocking the rook-shaft against the ALFRED NUTTING. 

